Hydrogen is an excellent source of alternative energy for internal combustion engines. It is a highly efficient fuel with high energy release per pound, and it burns cleanly. Moreover, hydrogen can supplement gasoline in a conventional automobile engine without significant alteration to standard engine parts.
The use of hydrogen as a fuel supplement for internal combustion engines has been of ongoing interest in the automobile industry. The use of electrolysis of water as a means of providing hydrogen to automobile engines, however, has been attempted with limited success. A practical, efficient and inexpensive means of using water in an automobile engine has not yet been successfully integrated into the industry. Related systems utilizing hydrolysis generally have closed systems that doesn't allow for flow of the electrolyte solution or cleaning of the electrolyte solution to remove accumulated sludge.
One of the hurdles to overcome in the use of water as source of hydrogen in automobile engines is the low and inconstant yield of hydrogen. Further, electrolysis generally produces contaminants that coat the electrodes and the electrolysis tank and foul the water, leading to lower yields and equipment problems. Another issue to overcome has been the heat generated during electrolysis resulting in boiling of the water, thereby decreasing the efficiency of electrolysis. Any significant improvement in the use of hydrolysis in automobile engines would be of great value to the transportation industry.